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The End of Bipolarity – Class 12 Political Science notes, important questions and MCQs

NCERT Class 12 Political Science, chapter 1. Notes, key terms, important questions with answers and MCQs.

Chapter overview

During the Cold War the world was divided between two power blocs led by the USA and the USSR. In 1991 the Soviet Union disintegrated into fifteen independent countries, ending the bipolar world. Reforms by Mikhail Gorbachev, economic stagnation, nationalist movements in the republics and the fall of communist regimes in Eastern Europe led to its collapse. The transition to capitalism in Russia and other states brought hardship.

The Soviet system

The USSR came into being after the 1917 Russian Revolution and followed a socialist, centrally planned economy dominated by the Communist Party.
It achieved industrial and military strength and provided basic needs, but suffered from bureaucracy, lack of freedom and economic stagnation.
Huge military spending in the arms race and the war in Afghanistan strained its economy.

Collapse of the Soviet Union

Mikhail Gorbachev introduced perestroika (restructuring) and glasnost (openness) in the mid-1980s.
Eastern European countries overthrew communist governments in 1989; the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989 and Germany reunified in 1990.
Nationalist movements in the republics, including Russia, and a failed coup in August 1991 weakened the centre; in December 1991 the USSR was dissolved and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was formed.

Consequences

The Cold War ended and the USA became the sole superpower; many new countries emerged.
Russia and other states adopted 'shock therapy', a sudden shift to capitalism, which caused economic decline, inflation and loss of welfare.
India maintained good relations with Russia, which remains an important partner in defence, energy and diplomacy.

Key terms

Bipolarity: a world order dominated by two superpowers
Perestroika: Gorbachev's policy of restructuring the Soviet economy
Glasnost: Gorbachev's policy of openness and freedom of expression
Shock therapy: a sudden transition from a communist to a capitalist economy
Commonwealth of Independent States: an organisation of former Soviet republics formed in 1991

Important questions with answers

What was shock therapy?2 marks

Shock therapy was the sudden transition from a communist, state-controlled economy to a capitalist, market economy in Russia and other post-communist states in the 1990s, through rapid privatisation and removal of state controls. It led to economic decline, inflation and loss of social security for many people.

State the main consequences of the disintegration of the Soviet Union.3 marks

The disintegration ended the Cold War and the bipolar world order, making the USA the sole superpower. Fifteen new countries emerged with their own aspirations. The power of the capitalist economic model increased, and many states adopted market reforms, which brought economic hardship in the short run.

Explain the causes of the disintegration of the Soviet Union.5 marks

The Soviet Union, formed after the 1917 revolution, built a powerful state with a socialist, centrally planned economy, but it faced deep problems. The economy stagnated by the 1970s and 1980s, with shortages of consumer goods, low productivity and outdated technology, while huge resources were spent on the arms race with the USA and on the war in Afghanistan. The political system was controlled by a single party, was highly bureaucratic and denied freedom, so people grew dissatisfied. When Mikhail Gorbachev introduced perestroika to restructure the economy and glasnost to allow openness, people began to express long-suppressed grievances, and expectations rose faster than reforms could deliver. In 1989 communist regimes in Eastern Europe collapsed and the Berlin Wall fell, weakening Soviet control. Nationalist movements grew in the republics, including the Baltic states, Ukraine and Russia itself under Boris Yeltsin. A failed coup by hardliners in August 1991 further weakened the central government. In December 1991 the leaders of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus announced the end of the Soviet Union, and the Commonwealth of Independent States was formed. Thus economic weakness, political rigidity, the effects of reforms and the rise of nationalism together caused the collapse.

Quick revision

Cold War: USA vs USSR.
Gorbachev: perestroika and glasnost.
USSR dissolved 1991 into 15 countries; CIS.
Shock therapy; India–Russia partnership.

Exam tips

Remember dates: Berlin Wall fell 1989; USSR dissolved December 1991.
List three causes and three consequences of Soviet disintegration.

Practice MCQs

The Soviet Union disintegrated in
1. 1985
2. 1989
3. 1991
4. 2001
Show answer
Answer: (c) 1991. It split into fifteen countries.
Glasnost means
1. openness
2. restructuring
3. shock therapy
4. isolation
Show answer
Answer: (a) openness. It allowed more freedom of expression.
The Berlin Wall fell in
1. 1989
2. 1961
3. 1991
4. 1945
Show answer
Answer: (a) 1989. Germany reunified in 1990.
The Soviet leader who introduced perestroika was
1. Stalin
2. Mikhail Gorbachev
3. Boris Yeltsin
4. Lenin
Show answer
Answer: (b) Mikhail Gorbachev. He became leader in 1985.
The organisation formed by former Soviet republics in 1991 was the
1. European Union
2. ASEAN
3. Commonwealth of Independent States
4. SAARC
Show answer
Answer: (c) Commonwealth of Independent States. It is called the CIS.
The sudden transition to capitalism in Russia was called
1. green revolution
2. glasnost
3. shock therapy
4. detente
Show answer
Answer: (c) shock therapy. It caused severe hardship.
Which was a major cause of the Soviet collapse
1. lack of nuclear weapons
2. too much democracy since 1917
3. US invasion
4. economic stagnation and rising nationalism in the republics
Show answer
Answer: (d) economic stagnation and rising nationalism in the republics. Internal weaknesses were decisive.
After 1991 the world became
1. bipolar
2. unipolar with the USA as the dominant power
3. tripolar
4. colonial
Show answer
Answer: (b) unipolar with the USA as the dominant power. The USA remained the sole superpower.

All chapters of Class 12 Political Science

Written by Kundali IQ from standard, well-established facts to help with revision. This is not an official NCERT publication; always read your textbook too.